diff --git a/src/aap_eda/api/serializers/event_stream.py b/src/aap_eda/api/serializers/event_stream.py
index 8b7fc9136..39c0dca18 100644
--- a/src/aap_eda/api/serializers/event_stream.py
+++ b/src/aap_eda/api/serializers/event_stream.py
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.core.validators import RegexValidator
 from rest_framework import serializers
-from rest_framework.exceptions import ValidationError
 
 from aap_eda.api.constants import (
     PG_NOTIFY_TEMPLATE_RULEBOOK_DATA,
@@ -31,7 +30,11 @@
     MissingEventStreamRulebookSource,
 )
 from aap_eda.api.serializers.credential import CredentialSerializer
-from aap_eda.api.serializers.utils import substitute_extra_vars, swap_sources
+from aap_eda.api.serializers.utils import (
+    YAMLSerializerField,
+    substitute_extra_vars,
+    swap_sources,
+)
 from aap_eda.core import models, validators
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -96,29 +99,6 @@ def _updated_listener_ruleset(validated_data):
     return swap_sources(validated_data["rulebook_rulesets"], sources_info)
 
 
-class YAMLSerializerField(serializers.Field):
-    """Serializer for YAML a superset of JSON."""
-
-    def to_internal_value(self, data) -> dict:
-        if data:
-            try:
-                parsed_args = yaml.safe_load(data)
-            except yaml.YAMLError:
-                raise ValidationError("Invalid YAML format for 'source_args'")
-
-            if not isinstance(parsed_args, dict):
-                raise ValidationError(
-                    "The 'source_args' field must be a YAML "
-                    "object (dictionary)"
-                )
-
-            return parsed_args
-        return data
-
-    def to_representation(self, value) -> str:
-        return yaml.dump(value)
-
-
 class EventStreamSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
     decision_environment_id = serializers.IntegerField(
         validators=[validators.check_if_de_exists]
diff --git a/src/aap_eda/api/serializers/rulebook.py b/src/aap_eda/api/serializers/rulebook.py
index 6892867ed..14b635aa9 100644
--- a/src/aap_eda/api/serializers/rulebook.py
+++ b/src/aap_eda/api/serializers/rulebook.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 from drf_spectacular.utils import extend_schema_field
 from rest_framework import serializers
 
+from aap_eda.api.serializers.utils import YAMLSerializerField
 from aap_eda.core import models
 
 
@@ -254,8 +255,9 @@ class AuditEventSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
         help_text="The received timestamp of the event",
     )
 
-    payload = serializers.JSONField(
+    payload = YAMLSerializerField(
         required=False,
+        allow_null=True,
         help_text="The payload in the event",
     )
 
diff --git a/src/aap_eda/api/serializers/utils.py b/src/aap_eda/api/serializers/utils.py
index 3d209d920..058e912c0 100644
--- a/src/aap_eda/api/serializers/utils.py
+++ b/src/aap_eda/api/serializers/utils.py
@@ -19,10 +19,34 @@
 import yaml
 from django.conf import settings
 from jinja2.nativetypes import NativeTemplate
+from rest_framework import serializers
+from rest_framework.exceptions import ValidationError
 
 LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+class YAMLSerializerField(serializers.Field):
+    """Serializer for YAML a superset of JSON."""
+
+    def to_internal_value(self, data) -> dict:
+        if data:
+            try:
+                parsed_args = yaml.safe_load(data)
+            except yaml.YAMLError:
+                raise ValidationError("Invalid YAML format for input data")
+
+            if not isinstance(parsed_args, dict):
+                raise ValidationError(
+                    "The input field must be a YAML object (dictionary)"
+                )
+
+            return parsed_args
+        return data
+
+    def to_representation(self, value) -> str:
+        return yaml.dump(value)
+
+
 def _render_string(value: str, context: dict) -> str:
     if "{{" in value and "}}" in value:
         return NativeTemplate(value, undefined=jinja2.StrictUndefined).render(
diff --git a/tests/integration/api/test_event_stream.py b/tests/integration/api/test_event_stream.py
index 05b48ed32..d2c2905d0 100644
--- a/tests/integration/api/test_event_stream.py
+++ b/tests/integration/api/test_event_stream.py
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ def test_create_event_stream_bad_args(
     result = response.data
     assert (
         str(result["source_args"][0])
-        == "The 'source_args' field must be a YAML object (dictionary)"
+        == "The input field must be a YAML object (dictionary)"
     )
 
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/api/test_rulebook.py b/tests/integration/api/test_rulebook.py
index 01c63bb59..30db34dc9 100644
--- a/tests/integration/api/test_rulebook.py
+++ b/tests/integration/api/test_rulebook.py
@@ -404,6 +404,8 @@ def test_list_events_from_audit_rule(client: APIClient, init_db):
     events = response.data["results"]
     assert len(events) == 2
     assert events[0]["received_at"] > events[1]["received_at"]
+    assert events[0]["payload"] == events[1]["payload"]
+    assert events[0]["payload"] == "key: value\n"
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
@@ -585,6 +587,7 @@ def init_db():
         source_type="ansible.eda.range",
         rule_fired_at="2023-12-14T15:19:02.313122Z",
         received_at="2023-12-14T15:19:02.289549Z",
+        payload={"key": "value"},
     )
     audit_event_2 = models.AuditEvent.objects.create(
         id=str(uuid.uuid4()),
@@ -592,6 +595,7 @@ def init_db():
         source_type="ansible.eda.range",
         rule_fired_at="2023-12-14T15:19:02.323704Z",
         received_at="2023-12-14T15:19:02.313063Z",
+        payload={"key": "value"},
     )
     audit_event_3 = models.AuditEvent.objects.create(
         id=str(uuid.uuid4()),
@@ -599,6 +603,7 @@ def init_db():
         source_type="ansible.eda.range",
         rule_fired_at="2023-12-14T15:19:02.323704Z",
         received_at="2023-12-14T15:19:02.321472Z",
+        payload={"key": "value"},
     )
     audit_event_1.audit_actions.add(action_1)
     audit_event_2.audit_actions.add(action_2)